Creirwy

Creirwy (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈkrəirʊɨ]) is a figure in the Mabinogion and the Hanes Taliesin (the story of Taliesin's life), daughter of the enchantress Ceridwen and Tegid Foel ("Tacitus the Bald"). The Welsh Triads name her one of the three most beautiful maids of the Isle of Britain. Born in Penllyn in Powys, Wales, Creirwy (also known as Llywy) has a dark, hideous brother named Morfran and a foster brother, Gwion Bach (who would become the bard Taliesin). She does not appear in the stories about Afagddu and Taliesin.

Interpretation as a goddess

Celtic researcher Edward Davies deemed Creirwy "the Proserpine of the British Druids"—also comparing her mother Ceridwen to Ceres of Roman myth. Mythographer Jacob Bryant theorized that Creirwy and Ceridwen were essentially "the same mystical personage."

Her name possibly means "sacred symbol of the egg" (i.e., "mundane egg", "adder stone") from the Welsh elements creir "a token, jewel, sacred object, relic, talisman, treasure, richly decorated article, object of admiration or love, darling, safeguard, strength, hand-bell, church-bell" and wy "egg". For the ancient Druids, the mundane egg allegedly symbolized chaos, the beginning of all things, and upon it oaths were administered.